Hardcopy on POSTSCRIPT device

[Reinhard Doelz]

Hi all, 

We are running molecular modelling software on the IRIS and want to use the 
SCRSAVE routine to create bitmaps. These should then be transformed to 
postscript (PPRINT) and be transferred to the MAC with (don't laugh,please)
KERMIT. There, I use a utility to print it on the laserwriter. It is obvious
that this seems to be doable, but the innocent file generated with SCRSAVE
increases to 5 (!) times the size with PPRINT. Once you downloaded such
a file of a full screen (2.5 megs), you will never do it again the same day,
because the poor Mac is still receiving data... (It takes approx. 2 hours).
Though we are not a "rich" department, we can't buy such a nice hardcopy
device attached to the IRIS directly. However, once we had compressed 
binaries to be sent to the laser, it wouldn't take so much time to get 
a hardcopy. I looked into the LASER and DWB option of SGI at a friend's IRIS,
but even with the laser attached directly it takes ages. 

1) Did anyone of you try to do it faster ? 

2) Is there documentation available on the format of the screen dumps 
   ( I didn't dare to learn all the manuals by mind, may be there is a 
   hint somewhere) 

3) I heard rumors that there is a better routine around. Anyone aware
   of such a program ? 

4) The nicest thing were if you could create files in a format which
   could be used in DTP- like programs, in order to restyle the lettering
   which comes across only badly in a screen dump (PAGEMAKER, MACDRAW,
   digital image processing etc) which means in PAINT,PIC,TIFF,etc
   format. Any routines available doing that ? 

I think that there might be some of you having the same problem. 
Thanks for any suggestions and hints.

Reinhard 
  
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  *   Dr. Reinhard Doelz           *           SWITZERLAND               *
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